Life if full of challenges; moments of joy as well as moments of disappointment, sadness, or grief. Brief episodes of these emotions are normal life experiences. Often, people can get past them with support from a strong family or friendship system. Occasionally, the magnitude of the stress, lack of a support network, or a biological predisposition can leave a person unable to move beyond the negative thoughts and moods.
Subtle Depression Symptoms:
- Lack of interest or enjoyment in life,
- Decreased motivation or energy,
- A general sense of agitation.
Severe Symptoms of Depression:
- Pervasive sadness and or tearfulness,
- Feeling hopeless, worthless or guilty,
- Withdrawing socially and isolating oneself,
- Feeling as if everything is an effort, like walking through wet cement,
- An increase in appetite or loss of appetite and weight,
- Difficulty remembering, concentrating, or making decisions,
- Difficulty getting out of bed or getting to sleep,
- Waking frequently during the night or waking up early,
- Thoughts of death or more specifically of suicide.
Depression is often accompanied, and even made worse, by feelings of shame, guilt and anxiety, or thoughts of regret and resentment. Both depression and anxiety can mask resources that are within each of us.
Moving On.
Part of moving beyond depression involves learning from the past, then developing the skill to let go of past wounds, and live in the present. To enjoy your activities and your relationships, you need to know that you are worth wanting, liking, and loving here and now.
Together, we’ll evaluate the level of your depression. Then, we’ll start developing specific life skills to help you overcome your depression. If your symptoms warrant medical intervention, we’ll contact a Psychiatrist who can work with us to help you find relief.
Treatment will help you change negative thoughts about yourself and your life. You’ll change the way you feel, so that you can act in the present in ways that will be meaningful and gratifying. You’ll begin to understand that negative internal messages are just part of you, and that you have many other positive parts that should be the focus of your attention.